a turtle on the fence post

The Word for today:
Esther 2:19-3:15


So much in our lives depends on the timing, and the subtle interplay, of events.

The book of Esther is not poetic, or philosophical, or theological.  In fact, God is never mentioned in Esther.

Because it goes without saying that he is there. The twists and turns and timing of the plot reveal that he must be. It's like the old adage about the turtle on the fencepost:

If you’re walking along a fence and spot a turtle sitting atop a fencepost, you know it didn’t get there by itself.

In the life of Esther, and often in our own lives, we sometimes sense that things didn't get there by themselves. That's because, sometimes, they didn't.

I'm not going to get stuck here in some endless, fruitless discussion about the roles that man's free will and God's sovereign hand play in the day-in and day-out of our lives. The book of Esther doesn't even attempt to draw those fine distinctions.

What I'm going to do is start looking for turtles. I'm going to ask my eyes to see that I am not utterly alone as I walk down these lanes, along these fences.

I talk to my dog all the time, so I won't hesitate to stop and say hello to a turtle or two. Maybe I'll ask them what God looks like.